"Hyde has a sure touch with affairs of the heart." -Publishers Weekly
"Thanks to Catherine Ryan Hyde's unwavering brilliance, 'Walter's Purple Heart' is a clear-cut gem." -Kelly Milner Halls, The Denver Post
From the bestselling author of DON'T LET ME GO and PAY IT FORWARD, comes a flight of sheer imagination: the story of a love affair that spans two lives, two incarnations--and the many repercussions of a young life cut short by war.
Michael Steeb is an aimless twenty-one-year-old pot farmer in Central California in the 1980s. He has no real plans or interests…until the day he connects with memories of a life that seems to belong to someone else. That “spirit†is Walter, a young American soldier killed in World War II.
Narrated in large part by Walter from beyond the grave, WALTER'S PURPLE HEART is a fast-paced war drama and a deeply felt romance, with a unique twist on the prospect of multiple lives. Catherine Ryan Hyde paints an enduring portrait of a life prematurely lost, and the endless ripples of consequence to those who loved him, in a microcosm that sheds light on the true gravity of war.
"Hyde is a remarkable, insightful storyteller, creating full-bodied characters whose dialogue rings true, with not a word to spare....it's compelling enough that readers may find themselves finishing it at a single sitting." -Library Journal
This "Classic Catherine" Anniversary Edition includes a new Author's Note by Catherine Ryan Hyde.